DAVIS, Calif. -
Tobi Lyman hit a game-winning lob from the right wing less than a half-second remaining, lifting UC San Diego to a dramatic 7-6 win over UC Davis in the eighth of nine games during the first day of action at the Davis Shootout women's water polo tournament at Schaal Aquatics Center Friday. The game-winner broke the sixth tie of a game in which neither team led by more than one goal.

The Aggies, who had won an earlier contest against UC San Diego by an 18-3 margin, move to 6-3 on the season.

Brittany Russell and Tiffany Hodgens each scored a pair of goals to lead UC Davis in the loss to the Tritons, while Crisara Abrams added another. Lyman had a game-high three goals ofr UCSD, while Meris Bantilan-Smith added two.

Bantilan-Smith helped the Tritons take a brief 6-5 lead at the 2:12 mark in the fourth period. Hodgens re-tied the contest less than a minute later with a seven-meter shot. Freshman Annie Preble took a long shot at the Triton cage with 52 ticks remaining, but Bantilan-Smith deflected the shot. Lyman fired at the Aggie goal at 0:20 but goalie Meggan Brownrigg was there for the block.

In the final possession of the game, Lyman found herself deep at the four position, well beyond the seven-meter line. As the clock ticked down, she sent a lob out of Brownrigg's reach in the far corner of the cage to claim the win for UCSD.

The Tritons are among three teams that went 2-0 during the first day of action. UCSD beat UC Santa Cruz, 14-4, in Friday's fifth game. Bantilan-Smith scored four goals in that win, while Lyman also had a hat trick.

San Diego State, the highest-ranked participant in preseason polls, beat Cal St. Bakersfield in the tournament opener by a 12-3 final. Holly Hartzell posted four goals in the game while Chelsy Smith and Susan Stivers each scored two. The Aztecs later beat Cal St. Northridge, 7-3, helped by a hat trick by Hartzell.

Arizona State also went undefeated, sweeping the "C" group of the nine-team tourney. The Sun Devils beat Santa Clara, 10-2, then finished the day's action with a 10-4 win over Pacific. Katie Davis scored two goals against the Broncos, then posted a hat trick in the win over the Tigers.

UC Davis finished second in its division with two fellow UC-member teams. In the Aggies' 18-3 win over UC Santa Cruz, Preble led with four goals, supplemented by hat tricks by Hodgens and senior Alli Johnstone.

The 24th-annual Davis Shootout resumes play Sunday, with Cal St. Bakersfield and Pacific launching the day's action with a 7 a.m matchup.